Why don't you try smiling
by Mizu-Tenshi
Summary: Sort of one-sided TyKa. It's Tyson's birthday but he not exactly thrilled about it, that is until Kai gives him something he'll always treasure - a smile. One-shot


Mizu_Tenshi: Um, I'm writing this is 'cause I was thinking up some angst stories and this just popped up and would not leave me alone. Kind of one sided TyKa don't like don't read.  
  
Sora: We tried beating it, eating it, and shoving it in a burning cupboard, nothing.  
  
"..." Speech '...' Thought *...* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything featured in this story  
  
**************  
  
Why don't you try smiling?  
  
The main room of Maxi's house was decorated with steamers, balloons and banners that read, 'Happy fifteenth Birthday!' with music drowning out everything except the excited shouts inside the house.  
  
It was all so overwhelming. Max had insisted that they celebrated Tyson's birthday at his house, promising a celebration that would not be forgotten too soon. Damn, did he know how to keep a promise.  
  
Still, despite the happy atmosphere a blue eyed boy shook his head and went back to studying something in the corner almost hidden by shadows.  
  
If he was honest with himself he would say he was a pretty good people person, maybe a little slow but certainly friendly, which was why he could never understand the figure in the shadows and why that figure constantly hid away in the dark.  
  
He had wondered about it, tried to get the figure to open up, and then thought some more until it was on beyond the point of an obsession.  
  
"Hey, Tyson, you gonna open those presents or what?" Max laughed, bringing Tyson back into himself.  
  
"Oh, sure," Tyson smiled and approached the large pile of presents from his team.  
  
Tyson ripped open the wrapping paper curiously then thanked whoever bought him it before setting upon the other gifts.  
  
By the time he was done he had the equivalent to a small tree of cards and a mini treasure chest of presents but still Tyson frowned.  
  
He wasn't ungrateful or anything it was just that...something was missing.  
  
"Hey, Kai, where's your present?" Tyson asked and everyone looked at the slate haired boy. None of them had really expected anything from their stoic captain.  
  
"I was dragged here; I didn't have time to get you anything," Kai looked straight into Tyson's eyes so that topaz met garnet. If Tyson didn't know Kai so well he would have sworn Kai was trying to apologise.  
  
'Ugh!' Tyson inwardly kicked himself. 'This is why I don't think; it makes my head hurt!'  
  
Covering up his headache Tyson simply shrugged as if he couldn't care less and said, "Oh, Well that's okay. So, how do you like the party?"  
  
Kai took a sip of coke but did not do anything else apart from that.  
  
"Aww, loosen up!" Tyson tried to pat him on the back but was glared out of doing so.  
  
At that point Tyson felt his confidence crack and shatter but still he kept on his happy façade.  
  
"It's my birthday!" he smiled and did a little birthday jig.  
  
"You want a cookie for that, birthday boy?" Kai raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Huh, you're no fun!" Tyson pouted.  
  
"I do my best," Kai smirked.  
  
Tyson huffed and walked away from the older boy to join the others watching an anime series they had rented.  
  
NGE was the series. It made his head hurt but he watched it in an attempt to get rid of the hurt he felt inside.  
  
'This is crazy!' Tyson's mind yelled at him. 'Kai's always like that why don't you just give it up? Why can't you just get him out of your head for one measly second?'  
  
Tyson rubbed his forehead. Why couldn't he stop thinking about those garnet eyes? What was it about Kai that made him hurt inside? Maybe it was because Kai would never feel the way he did.  
  
It was insane how he was acting but he didn't know how to stop it.  
  
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do in this kind of situation," a blue- haired girl on the screen apologised.  
  
Tyson marvelled at how similar she was to Kai. Blue hair, red eyes that burrowed into your soul, and a distant, nonchalant manner.  
  
'Ugh! I'm seeing Kai everywhere! I need some fresh air!'  
  
Tyson got up and excused himself but before he could find his way out of the room he heard the boy on the TV screen answer.  
  
"Why don't you try smiling?" the second character suggested and the girl's face lit up into a smile.  
  
"Smiling," Tyson whispered to himself, looking over to where Kai was still standing in the corner. "He should try that one day."  
  
~~~  
  
Maxi's house was a dump after the party but luckily Ray and Kenny had offered to help since they had probably contributed to one fifth of the mess each.  
  
They couldn't get in touch with Kai who had left as soon as the party was dying down and Tyson wouldn't be awake at this time.  
  
"Hey guys, on the subject of Tyson, did any of you notice him acting strangely yesterday?" Ray asked the others.  
  
"Well he wasn't as loud as usual...or as hungry!" Max added with a laugh.  
  
"He spent most of his time looking at Kai," Dizzi's electronic voice muttered.  
  
"Don't tell me those two got into another fight again!" Kenny moaned.  
  
"I don't think so," Ray shook his head.  
  
"Then what could it be?" Max mused.  
  
"I don't know," Ray 's thoughtful look changed to an expression of mirth once his amber eyes fell open a bright yellow letter, "but I have an idea!"  
  
~~~  
  
Kai's apartment was small but neatly furnished. It was a little bare and lacked that cosy feeling of home but it was a liveable environment and that was what mattered.  
  
Kai was lying in bed, thinking back to yesterday and the party.  
  
He could have kicked himself. He had told himself he would try and 'loosen up' as Tyson put it but when he had arrived his defence system had automatically kicked in. He hadn't even gotten Tyson a present.  
  
'So what?' he tried to shrug it off. 'I don't want anything from him at my next birthday'  
  
That was when the phone went off.  
  
Grudgingly, Kai got out of bed to answer the annoying device.  
  
"Yeah, what?" Kai answered in his usual fashion as he picked up the phone.  
  
"Hi Kai, this is Ray," Ray's familiar voice said down the phone line. "Sorry to bother you but could you meet us in the park by the bridge at eight? It's really important, okay?"  
  
"Why don't you just tell me now?"  
  
"I can't; you have to see it for yourself. Just be there, okay?"  
  
"Fine," Kai caved in, "it's not like I have anything better to do."  
  
"Great!" Ray smiled, "oh, and dress up for tonight, alright? See ya there!"  
  
"Dress up? What - " Kai tried to question him further but Ray had already hung up.  
  
~~~  
  
"I'll get it!" Tyson yelled as the phone rang "Hello?" Tyson spoke into the phone.  
  
"Hi Tyson!" Maxi's friendly voice greeted him. "How are you? We're getting together in the park by the bridge a eight and we were wondering if you wanted to come."  
  
"Err...I don't really feel like doing anything," Tyson said in a way of apology.  
  
"What?!" Max cried in disbelief. "You gotta come! There gonna be food and fireworks; we even convinced Kai to come along."  
  
"Really?" Tyson's eyes lit up but not because of the promise of food but because of the prospect of meeting *him* again. Maybe this time he would not be so cowardly and finally say something instead of rotting away inside.  
  
"You'll be there?" Max asked optimistically.  
  
"Okay," Tyson agreed.  
  
"Great!" Max chirped happily. "It's gonna be awesome! Oh, and before I forget, you have to dress up, okay?"  
  
~~~  
  
Kai wasn't one for special occasions but he had to be credited for trying.  
  
He had abandoned his usual cargo pants, scarf and black top for a pair of black pants, a white shirt, a black leather jacket and a silver chain.  
  
He had attempted to do something with his messy hair but had given up in the end. He had kept the shark fins though.  
  
Kai looked down at his watch as soon as he arrived at the meeting point; it was fifteen minutes to eight. "Looks like I'm early," he muttered.  
  
~~~  
  
"Wow, for once I'm actually early," Tyson murmured in wonder. As he looked up there was Kai there leaning against the railings of the bridge, staring down into the murky water below.  
  
He gulped, steadying his breath before he approached the slate haired boy. "Hey, Kai, watcha doing?" He waved, hoping his voice did not sound overly friendly.  
  
"The others said they had something important to show me," Kai answered without a glance at the other boy.  
  
Tyson felt his heart twist. 'He won't even look at me, is that how worthless I am to him?'  
  
"They told me there was going to be food and fireworks," Tyson muttered despondently.  
  
Kai groaned with the realisation of what his team mates were attempting to do. He would be strangling them as soon as he got out of this situation they had so thoughtfully got him into .  
  
"What? I like food," Tyson said defensively.  
  
"No, Tyson, I'm sure you can put two and two together."  
  
"Four," Tyson answered promptly causing Kai to groan again. "What did I say?" Tyson asked, confused.  
  
"Are you that d - " Kai turned to look at Tyson for the first time but stopped as soon as he saw what Tyson was wearing. He blushed the faintest shade of pink and turned back to stare at the water. "What's the occasion?" He asked, trying to sound like his usual apathetic self.  
  
"They told me to dress up," Tyson blushed, looking down at his outfit. "What about you?"  
  
"Don't remind me," Kai muttered darkly. "This is the only slightly classy thing I own."  
  
"I think it's nice," Tyson said before he could stop himself.  
  
Kai stared at Tyson and Tyson felt his insides squirming under the gaze. Those garnet eyes shouldn't belong to any human.  
  
They said nothing for about three minutes forty-five seconds until they both shook themselves back into reality.  
  
~~~  
  
Several meters away from the bridge the others had gathered in a clearing of the park, setting up row after row of little rockets as darkness crept into the sky.  
  
"I can't believe they sold us fireworks and at half price too!" Max giggled with glee. "This is gonna be so cool!"  
  
"Hurry guys!" Ray urged them on. "It's almost eight!"  
  
"Okay, I think that's about it," Kenny dusted off his hands, "ready, Max?"  
  
"Ready!" Max nodded and promptly lit each firework in turn. "Bombs away!" he yelled into the sky as they shot up with a long high-pitched wail.  
  
~~~  
  
The fireworks wailed through the sky, bursting into showers of gold, red and many other colours. The sky seemed alive with noise and light.  
  
From where they stood Tyson and Kai stared at the display of fireworks.  
  
A particularly loud one burst into the sky, forming the words 'Happy B- day!'  
  
"Hey, pretty cool, huh? So this is what they were planning but where's the food?" Tyson wondered out loud.  
  
"Is that all you can think of?"  
  
Tyson didn't seem to hear or if he did he ignored Kai and stared intently at the colourful display.  
  
'Maybe I should tell him something,' Tyson thought. 'No, he'd hate me if I did!'  
  
Of course Kai would hate him. Why would Kai like him? The only emotion Kai had ever shown him was disgust and resentment.  
  
'If only he'd just smile,' Tyson muttered to himself.  
  
"So, you're fifteen now, huh?" Kai's voice brought Tyson back into himself.  
  
"Err..yeah."  
  
'Is he actually trying to make conversation?'  
  
Kai sighed. Taking off the chain around his neck he took Tyson's hand curled Tyson's fingers around it. "Here," much to Tyson's dismay he let go of his hand "A late birthday present."  
  
"Err...thanks...I think," Tyson nodded, trying not to let Kai see the blush creeping into his cheeks.  
  
Kai nodded and turned his back on the smoking sky.  
  
"Are you going?" Tyson asked.  
  
"I don't see much point in me staying," Kai shrugged.  
  
"Oh," Tyson said, doing his beast not to look disappointed.  
  
"Okay, what's you problem?" Kai demanded to know.  
  
"Huh?" Tyson did his best to look confused.  
  
Kai rolled his eyes, "don't play dumb with me; you've been looking down ever since your birthday. You..." He paused as if it was painful to say what was coming next. "You...worry me when you're not acting all spastic."  
  
Tyson's eyes widened. Did Kai just say that he was worried about him?  
  
"Fine," Kai shrugged and was about to walk away when Tyson called him back.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"What?" Kai looked back at the navy haired teen.  
  
"I..." Tyson trailed off.  
  
'Go for it!' his mind urged. What was the worse that could happen apart from a life of humiliation?  
  
"Well? I haven't got all night," Kai said impatiently.  
  
'Okay,' Tyson told his brain. 'If a firework goes off by the time I count to five then that's my sign and I'll tell him. One...two...'  
  
~~~  
  
"And now for the crème de la crème of tonight's show," Max said, using his fist as a pretend microphone he turned to Ray. "Would you like to do the honours, Ray?"  
  
"My pleasure, Max," Ray smiled, going along with the act. "Ladies and gentleman, please hold onto your hats, wigs, scarves and other loose items 'cause we're gonna blow up the sky!"  
  
With that he brought the match down in slow motion. The match struck the side of the matchbox, causing blue sparks but no flame.  
  
"That's our last match!" Max wailed.  
  
"Let me try," Kenny offered, taking their last precious match and stroking it against the box, "no, it's not setting alight," he shook his head.  
  
~~~  
  
'Three..four..' Tyson felt himself waiting forever before he reached five.  
  
"Take you time," Kai said sarcastically.  
  
'Four and a half...four and three quarters...five..'  
  
Tyson looked up but the sky remained ominously quiet.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"...Nothing..." Tyson shook his head, "must be one of those mood swings, in fact, I feel better already!" He smiled before bursting into hysterical laughter.  
  
He didn't know why he laughed he just wanted to show Kai his was okay, he just wanted to drown out his sorrows in laughter. He wanted to laugh away the fact the he would probably die never telling Kai anything and all because he was too scared.  
  
Tyson laughed as if he would die if he stopped but before he knew it his laughter turned to tears and then to sobs.  
  
"Tyson?" Kai cocked his head in an attempt to see what was wrong.  
  
'Wow, he does care.' Tyson tried to laugh again, tried to show the Kai that he was okay but he couldn't laugh and it felt as if he never would.  
  
Tyson felt the sobs rack his chest. Kai was probably thinking he was weak for showing so much emotion. Kai always thought he was weak.  
  
"It's stupid," he said through ragged breaths. "I don't even know why I'm crying."  
  
'You're crying because he will never ever return your feelings.'  
  
"Um.." Kai trailed off. He had never been trained for situations like this at the abbey. "Can I do something for you?" he asked rather lamely  
  
Through the tears Tyson's mind went back to yesterday and to the party.  
  
"Why don't you could try smiling?" Tyson suggested.  
  
"Smile?" Kai made a face.  
  
"Like this," Tyson smiled weakly just to show Kai how it was done.  
  
Kai felt the corners of his mouth tug upwards until he had an almost identical smile to the one Tyson wore.  
  
"Like this?" Kai asked.  
  
'As long as he smiles, I'm happy,' Tyson thought. 'Even if I never tell him anything it'll be okay as long as he smiles.'  
  
"Yeah, perfect," Tyson nodded, drying his tears. "Thanks for the present."  
  
"The chain? It's no big deal," Kai shrugged.  
  
"Not the chain," Tyson shook his head. "The smile."  
  
Kai's smile disappeared and confusion replaced it but only for a second before the smile came back even bigger and better than before.  
  
"No problem," Kai said in a barely audible voice but Tyson heard it and smiled just as widely as Kai.  
  
******************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Arg! I told you I was no good at romance. In fact, that wasn't even romance it was..I don't know what the hell that was but anyway R&R please. 


End file.
